Since Assad does not know how to root out a handful of "petty criminals and thugs" (according to him and his propaganda machine), he instead choses to destroy a whole city or district instead of sending in special forces or troops.

Here's the result of such a tactic. To me it looks a lot like stalingrad 1943.

My two cents:
Now try to think of a comparison. Some "foreign terrorists" (Assad claims) come to your country, they settle inside chicago city, and instead of sending in special forces, your government decides to reduce chicago to rubbles and drive out all the civilians and terrorists alike instead.

Your two cents:
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